Sex and the CP: Contraceptives discussed at SGA’s Birth Control Town Hall
The University Health Center offers free condoms and sexual health services.
Image credit: Emma Grazado for The Campus Trainer
The Student Government Association Department of Health and Wellness hosted its third annual Birth Control Town Hall last Tuesday featuring panelists from Planned Parenthood, the Pregnancy Aid Center and the University Health Center.
The panel highlighted resources for contraception and sexually-transmitted infections available both on and off campus, according to junior public health science major and Student Government Association Director of Health and Wellness Kelly Sherman.
“Most questions people have can be answered by creating atmospheres to talk about sex in a positive matter,” Sherman said.
The panelists included: Olivia Mays and Parisa Rahbar of the University Health Center, Ming Gault representing Planned Parenthood, and Mary Jelacic from the Pregnancy Aid Center.
The panel discussed the different methods of birth control available:
Birth control pills, taken daily
Emergency contraception, taken after unprotected sex
Birth control patch, replaced once a week
Ring, replaced every month
Long-acting reversible contraception, inserted in the body for long periods of time
Students have options not only in terms of methods but also in terms of payment. Although birth control is covered by insurance, uninsured patients can receive aid on a sliding scale from the Planned Parenthood centers in the state of Maryland.
Another concern brought up in the panel was having to notify parents or guardians about birth control choices. However, the panelists noted that the decision to use contraceptives is up to the individual and the individual alone.
“Once a [person] starts to menstruate, [they] are in charge of [their] reproductive rights,” Jelacic said.
Services in the University Health Center and the other offices are confidential, and this gives people the freedom to find and use the contraceptive methods that are best fit for them.
All panelists also agreed that, regardless of what birth control method works best for an individual, it’s still necessary to wear a condom to prevent unwanted sexually-transmitted infections.
“I think that it is really important to acknowledge that the 20740 zip code, College Park, has the highest rate for chlamydia and gonorrhea in the state of Maryland,” Sherman said.
The University Health Center offers STI testing that’s free for students one Thursday of every month.
Students can also go to the University Health Center for a birth control consultation to decide which method is best for them.
“Birth control is always changing,” Mays said. “Stay up to date, and have an open and honest conversation with your provider.”
For more information, visit health.umd.edu.
